Affirmative Action Lyrics

Songs About Diversity; Recognizing the Dimensions of Diversity

Many people danced to this song in the summer of '69. It was a time of awakening and social consciousness. The lyrics captured the spirit of the time -- a time for self-expression.

The lyrics still have relevance. Race relations and affirmative action -- all still important social and political issues today. Yet Sly Stone’s lyrics from the sixties were about a much broader concept. He sung about the dimensions of diversity. He sang about people of all different colors, shapes and sizes. He sang about people of different beliefs, different groups, different occupations, different social classes, different generations, and different races.

The primary dimensions of diversity are generally those that we have no control over and that are generally obvious to others. Colors, shape, size, age, and race, are some of the dimensions that can be found in the song. Secondary dimensions are those that we generally have control over and that are not necessarily obvious to others - our beliefs, our occupation, our social class, other groups, such as a rock ' n roll band that we may choose to join.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.